Vagal nerve stimulation slows the heart rate and is promising as a cardiac therapy in the treatment of arrhythmias and heart failure. The stimulation activates the cardiac branches of the vagus nerve which innervate the sinus node, thereby causing slowing a sinus rate. The vagus nerve, however, has many other branches which are not targeted for activation during vagal nerve stimulation intended as a cardiac therapy. Among the vagus nerve branches are those innervating the pharynx and the larynx. Undesired side effects that can occur with vagal nerve stimulation intended as a cardiac therapy include shortness of breath, voice alteration, hoarseness, neck pain, and coughing caused by undesired activation of the non-cardiac vagus nerve branches in response to vagus nerve stimulation pulses.